Football Rules Cleared Up

NO WRITER ATTRIBUTED
September 24, 1915

Very few changes of importance have been made in the code of football rules for this year, last season's games not warranting any radical changes.

A fourth official has been named, a field-judge, who will assume most of the duties of the head linesman, thus permitting the latter to watch the off-side zone more carefully. A forward pass thrown out of bounds is now ruled incomplete. A penalty of one down is inflicted and the ball brought back. There will be no more roughing of the secondary defense after the whistle blows as has been possible heretofore. Especially is this true in regard to the fullback, heavy penalties being inflicted if he is interfered with while receiving a kick, or if he is intentionally roughed at any time.

At a recent meeting in New York nearly 200 football coaches and officials met with representatives of the rules committee for a general interpretation of the rules. On plays involving forward passes it was ruled that members of the attacking team may interfere with their opponents until the ball is actually passed. A man making a fair catch when standing with one foot on the sideline shall be considered "outside" the playing field.